Portable desk top



Feb. 7, 1933. L. s. MADDEN 1,896,965

PORTABLE DESK TOP Filed May 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 6 F167 Feb. 7,1933. L, s, MADDEN 1,896,965

PORTABLE DESK TOP Filed May 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 lie/and SMadden hwy/0r @Z/WWL/ UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE minim!) s. manmm, or rnnnsmvxnnn, NEW .m'nsEY PORTABLE DESK TOP Application filed Kay 13,

on any other appropriate support.

The object of the invention isprimarily to give ease and comfort in reading by relieving the user of the necessity of holding the article or book being read and afford the advantage '10 of allowing at the same time the use of the hands for other purposes such as writing, etc.; also securing the very important advantage of proper range of vision both horizontally and vertically, all of which will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar arts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of the device with the center section positioned at the rear,

Figure 2, a perspective rear view with the center section in a forward position,

Figure 3, a perspective front view with the center section in a rearward position showing the vertical range of the rack,

Figure 4, a perspective view of the device in folded position,

Figure 5, a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2 showing the sliding arrangement of the rack on the upper leaf of the hinge,

Figures 6 and 7 are detail views of the spring used for holding the device closed when folded and for retaining the sliding section in a rearward position,

Figure 8, a rear view in elevation of the device in open position, and

Figure 9, an enlarged section on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

.In the drawings reference character 1 indicates sections of the base 26 of the device connected by means of the braces 8 and 9 and of a suflicient length to bridge the arms of a chain The inner edges of the sections of the base 26 are provided with channels or grooves 7 in which the center section 3 is slidably mounted, the section 3 being of a width somewhat less than the width of the sections 1.

Securely fastened to one edge of the sliding 1932. semi No. 011,210.

section 3 are two side hinges 11 and a center hinge 27 formed of the portions 4, 5, and 6. The other ends of. the side hinge 11 and the middle portion 5 of the center hinge 27 are loosely positioned and held by the covered channel members 10 provided with the cutout portion 24 and the cleat 23 respectively to the rack 2. The third portion 6 of the center hinge 27 is allowed to swing freely and serves to support the rack 2 at the angleof elevation with respect to the base 26 that may be desired. The portion 4 of center hinge 27 is provided in its top surface with transverse notches or ribs 28 spaced to engage the free end of the portion 6 and hold the rack 2 at the elevation desired. Rack 2 is held at its most elevated position as regards its horizontal axis as shown in Figure 5 by the sharp flange 20 of the embedded spring 17 which engages the notch 21 on the hinge 11. By releasing the spring 17 from the notch 21 the rack 2 is allowed to slide down and its total descent is governed by the distance from the lower end of the channel members 10 to the top edge of the cut-out portion 24 of the channel member 10 and the bottom of the cleat 23 which engage the joints of the hinges. From its lowest horizontal axis the rack 2 ischanged to its highest horizontal axis simply by pushing upward on the rack until the flange 20 of the spring 17 automatically engages the notch 21. In this manner the horizontal axis of the rack and the vertical range of vision are easily changed. Referring to" the drawings it is evident that the, varying of the angle of the rack with respect to the base is not afi'ected by the changing of the horizontal axis and numerous ranges and angles of vision adjustments can be made.

Numeral 12 of Fig. 1 shows a projecting ledge for keeping a book on the rack and 13 indicates the spring clips positioned on the ledge for holding the book open. The clips may be rotated to a position parallel with the ledge when not in use. A spring clip 14 is secured to the center of the brace 8 for engaging a pin 16 on the edge of the rack 2 when in closed position and the horizontal hooked portion 25 of the spring clip 14 as shown in Fig. 7 engages in the notch 15 of the portion 4 of the center hinge to hold the sliding section 3 rearwardly when the device is used on backward slanting chair arms. A stop 19 is positioned on the under surface of the sliding section 3 to prevent the rack 2 rotating too far 1 1 forward when its horizontal axis is close to the center of the rack. The springs 17 are provided with the extensions 47 on the front ends for use of the fingers in releasing the flanges 20 of the springs 17 from the notches 21 as clearly shown inFig. 5. The clips .22 are provided for enga ing the ends of chair arms to revent the ase 26 from sliding when use 'on stee slanting arms. The clips I5 22 may be rotate to a position parallel to the base when not in use. g

The uses and advantages of the device are apparently. obvious from the above'description. The center section with the rack may be 20 moved forward and backward horizontally ments can be made independent of the other to suit the particular conditions and range of in the grooves. The angle at which the rec is held with respect to the base is easily adjusted by inserting the free end of the portion 6 in the notches 28. The hinges being loosely mounted in the rack allow the rack to be raised or lowered vertically thereby shiftingthe horizontal axis of the rack. All adjustvision at which the device is to be used. It

also has the convenience of being easily fold ed and placed out of theway when not 'in use.

a other minor details that do not alter the principle of the invention, and therefore I do'not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus fully described In vention, what I claim as new an. secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A, device of the kind described comprising a base having a center section slidably mounted therein, a rack pivotally and slidably mounted on said section, and means for adjustably positioning said'rack with respect to said base, substantially as set forth. 7

2. A device of thekind described comprising a base having two end sections, braces connecting said end sections, an intermediate said indesire to section slidably mo unted between said end,

sections, a rack, hinges fixed at one side to said intermediate section and slidably secured at the other side to and for pivotally mounting said rack, and means on said rack engageable with said hinges for holdingsaid Y position above sai neoep'ea rack in an elevated osition above slide-base,

' substantially as set orth.

a A device'of the. kind described a... triaing a base-having acenter section s'li able transversely there n, av rack pivotally mount ed on saidsection, said rack being provided with slotted channels on the-back thereof,

hingessecured at one end to said center tion and slidably secured at the other end in said slotted channels, resilient means engage-- .able with said hinges for holding said rack above the surface of said base, substantially asset forth.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a'base havin a center section slidable transversely thereln, a rack pivotally mounted on said section, said rack bein provided with slotted channels on the bac thereof, hinges secured at one end to saidcenter section and slidably secured at the other end in said slotted channels, resilient means engageable with said hinges for holding said rack above the surface of said base,

and an arm on one of said hinges engageable with'said center section for varying theangle of elevation of said raokwith respect to said base, substantially as set forth.

5. A device of the kind described comprising a base having a' center section slidably.-

mounted therein, a rack having channel membersfixed to the back thereof, hinges slidably positioned in said channel members and fixed to said center section for pivotally mounting said rack, said rack being provided with releasable resilient means for engaging said hinges for -holdin said rack in an elevated forth. 6. A deviceof the kind described comprising a'base' having a center section slidably mounted therein, a rack having channel members fixed to the back thereof, hingesslidably positioned in said channel members and fixed to said center section for pivotally mounting said rack, said rack beingpro'vided with releasable resilient-means forengaging said hinges for holdingjsaid rack in an elevated position above said base, and means secured to the rear edge of said base adapted to engage andhold said rack in a collapsed and rearward position, substantially as set forth.

7. A device of the kind described compriswith a dependingarm for engaging said center section for varying the angle of elevation of said rack, the other of said hinges being provided" with :means associated with resilient means on said rack for shifting the base, substantially as setgamma horizontal axis of said rack, substmtiflly as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set hand at Washin 11, District of 5 Columbia this 4th day of May, A. D. nineteen hun red and thirty-two.

LELAND S. MADDEN. 

